Extension end table leaf elevator with latching means



G. L'HEUREUX EXTENSION END TABLE LEAF ELEVTOR WITH LATCHING MEANS Filed Oct. 15, 1949 Dec. 16, 1952 Patented Dec. 16, 1952 EXTENSION END TABLE LEAF ELEVATOR WITH LATCHING MEANS Gilbert LHeureux, Basel, Switzerland Application October 15, 1949, Serial No. 121,522 In Switzerland October 21, 1948 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to extension end tables, and relates more particularly to a mechanism for extension tables of various types, such as dining room tables, drawing room tables, nursery tables etc., which are provided with an unloaded and shiftably supported leaf situated in the contracted position underneath the main table plate and is attached to sliding supports located in the substructure of the table. In the extended position, the leaf is capable of vertical translation to be raised from -the extended position to the level of the main table plate.

The extension table according to this invention is of simple rigid construction permitting of particularly suitable support of the leaf, when in fully drawn out position. The extended table is capable to carry or to bear maximal loading without deformation of the end leaves. Another advantage permits to pull one leaf from underneath the main table plate with one hand alone, and to raise with the same motion the extended leaf to the level of the main table plate.

In order that the invention may be more clearu ly understood and readily carried into effect the same will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows an embodiment by way of example and in which Figure 1 is an elevational View of an extension table wherein one of the two leaves is shown extended and brought to the height of the main table plate.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the extension table shown in Fig. 1,

Figures 3 and 4 show the link connection of the slide supports and the leaf in high and low position, respectively; and

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the stop arrangement in other posi-tions corresponding to those of Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.

The extension table has a substructure I consisting of a frame and legs supporting the frame. A main table plate 2 is provided, which has transverse members 3 and which is supported above the frame for a distance corresponding to the thickness of the main table plate. Guide pieces 4 are provided for the drawer 5'. The substructure I has two pairs of bar shaped slide members or supports 6 which are slidably disposed on the substructural and guided for shifting between contracted and extended positions. The slide supports 6 in contracted position are located beneath the plate 2, but without carrying the weight of the plate 2. Two opposite end leaves 'l are provided vand each leaf 'l has a hand-hold ledge or elongated block 8 of rectangular cross section, which is connected to the leaf by a hinge 9 (see Figs. l, 2 and 4). Each hand-hold ledge 8 is disposed underneath a leaf 'I and extends in transverse direction thereof. Furthermore, the hand hold ledges 8 have connected thereto trunnions I0 which are fulcrumed to the front ends of the slide supports G. Fromfthe low position shown in Fig. 4 the -trunnions Ill swing the leaf 'I into the high position over the slide supports (shown in Fig. 3), bringing the leaf to even height with the table plate 2. Near ythe other end of the leaf 'I the latter is linked by links II to the slide supports t. Thereby a parallel translation of the leaf 'l is effected. A pair of opposite supporting blocks I2 is fastened on the slide supports 5 at each table and underneath the table plate 2 and below the transverse members 3, there is provided battens I3 that serve as guides for the slide supports 6. The slide supports E have slots I4 extending longitudinally, and stop studs I5 project from the drawer guide members into said slots lll to define the extent of longitudinal sliding movement of each leaf l. A releasable stop or latching arrangement is provided for each leaf; this arrangement includes a finger or lever I6 which is hingedly attached to the underside of the leaf 'I and is provided on its lower surface with a nose. A spring (not shown) biases the lever I6 away from the hand hold ledge 6, urging the nose of the leavesy IB into engagement with a U-shaped strip I l that is fastened to the hand hold ledge 8. A transverse slot I8 is formed in the ledge 8, disposed opposite to the strip Il and is in registering position with the lever I6 to provide clearance space therefore, permitting to move the lever I6 off the stop position, shown in Fig. 5; upon such manual lofting of the finger I6, the nose will be disengaged from the U-shaped strip I`1 rto render the stop arrangement ineffective for label release.

The slide supports 6 including their leaves 1 are, by means of the hand hold ledge 8 easily pulled manually from underneath the table 2 at each table end. Each hand hold ledge 8 is then, from the low position shown in Fig. 6, pivotally moved by hand to the high position shown in Fig. 5. The hand hold ledge 8 is thereby pushed upon the slide supports 6 and the leaf 'I is moved to equal height with the main plate 2 and brought in abutting position with the latter; the leaf I is also pushed upon the blocks I2, to be supported by them. The nose of the lever I6 has at this 3 point of operative movement reached the position to fix automatically and firmly the extended position of the leaf 1. The main table plate 2 is also supported upon the blocks I2 in extended position of the slide supports. To move the leaf 1 into the lower position, it is only necessary to move the` lever I6 upwards about its, pivots, and the handhold ledge 8` will swingdown whereby the leaf 1 is slid away from the supports I2 and lowered upon the slide supports 6 (Fig. 4 and 6),.

In this inactive position the hand hold ledge 8 is held by the finger I6 outwardly of thefouter edge of the slick members 6, for manual grasping to shift the slide members 6. Then the leaf 1 is pushed, guided by the battens I3, underneath the plate 20.

By the support of each leaf l upon the solid hand hold ledge 8 and the supporting blocks l2 which carry also the main plate 2 the table built according to this invention is capable to carry a maximal load.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and inwhat manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. In an extension table, a body, a table top spacedly supported on said body, a slide member mounted below said table top and being oppositely shiftable and an extension leaf pivoted to said slide member and shiftable therewith and being movable in said extended location to and from an upper position in alignment withv said table top, in combination with, a mechanism for guiding said leaf comprising, oppositely spaced paired levers pivoted to said slide memberand to said leaf to complete therewith a link system for movement of said leaf, one lever pair being located near the outer portion of said leaf, means for supporting the inner edge portion of said leaf in the upper position, and an elongated block secured to said outer pair of levers and pivotally movable therewith and operable to be wedged between said slide member and said leaf, to support said outer portion of said leaf, when the latter is in the upper position, an element formed on said slide member and shiftable therewith, and means secured to said body and traversing the path of said element and cooperating'therewith to limit the shifting movement of said slide member in either direction.

2. In an extension table, a body, a table top spacedly supported on said body, a slide member mounted below said table top and being oppositely shiftable and an extension leaf pivoted to said slide member and shiftable therewith and being movable in said extended location to and from an upper position in alignment with said table top, in combination with, a mechanism for guiding said leaf comprising, oppositely spaced paired levers pivotedV to said slide member and to said leaf to complete therewith a link system for movement of said leaf, one lever pair being located near the outer portion of said leaf, means for supporting the inner edge portion of said leaf in the upper position, and an elongated block secured to said outer pair of levers and pivotally movable therewith and operable to be wedged between said slide member and said leaf, to support said outer portion of said leaf, when the latter is in the upper position, and latching means operable between said leaf and said block and being biased to retain releasably said block in the we dging position.

3. In an extension table, as claimed in claim 2, said latching means including a finger pivoted to the underside of said leaf and being biased to form therewith an angular gap and having a projection, said block including an extension for engagement by said finger to be urged downwardly thereby and to engage said projection to hold said block, said block having a recess opposite said extension to clear a space for said finger when the latter is. manually moved off said engagement.

4` In an extension table,l as claimed in claim 3, said finger being operable normally to engage said extension of said block releasably to retain the latter therein.

GILBERT LHEUREUX.

REFERENCE S CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,224,175 Klueg May l, 1917 1,952,621 Bromley i Mar. 27, 1,934 2,295,095 Teague g Sept. 8, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 405,074 Great Britain Feb. 1, 1934 

